MANAGER: He's earned his offer

31 March 2015

Andy Hall

Keith Curle on the second year youth decisions

Manager Keith Curle spoke to us today about the one-year contract offer made to youth second year Connor Hammell and about the players released as the current crop come to the end of their scholarship programme.

“Connor has good ability going forward,” he said. “You can see him having a long career, on the strength of what he's got going that way, but he needs to learn the other side of the game very quickly. He has to earn the right to showcase his ability.

“In the position we're in, sometimes you aren't afforded that ability and, if it isn't your day with the ball, you need to be able to offer something else to the team. We’re looking forward to working with him because he’s earned his offer. I think he understands that the hard work starts here and it is now over to him to make the most of the opportunity he’s been given.”

“A decision on Frankie [Wallace] has been deferred because of injury, so that’s an ongoing situation which Alan Moore will manage,” he explained. “There were close calls in letting the other six players go because there has been a level of improvement from all of them since they arrived.

“Part of us being progressive means we don't want to sign players we don't see having a long term future. All of the players have been sent away with the message to try and prove us wrong.

“There's no disgrace in not getting a contract. It happened to me. I was told I wasn't good enough to have a professional career, but I used it as part of my motivation. Hopefully these lads will push on with whatever it is they want do, be that in football or elsewhere.”